海角大神

Strauss-Kahn indicted by grand jury, is granted $1 million cash bail

Strauss-Kahn must also be monitored, hand in his passports, and post another $5 million bond. Prosecutors, who opposed the deal, said a grand jury indicted him on seven counts.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund accused of sexually assaulting a hotel housekeeper, was granted bail Thursday even as prosecutors said a grand jury voted to indict him on seven counts.

Mr. Strauss-Kahn, who had been favored in most French polls to defeat President Nicolas Sarkozy as the Socialist Party candidate in 2012 elections, has been in police custody ever since being pulled off a flight to France May 14.

On Thursday, New York State Supreme Court Judge Michael Obus gave Strauss-Kahn a get out of jail card as long as he posted a $1 million cash bail, agreed to wear an electronic monitoring device, surrendered all his passports to the government, and hired armed guards to make sure he does not violate his house arrest. He was also required to post a $5 million bond.

At the same time, prosecutors announced that a Manhattan Grand Jury voted to indict the IMF鈥檚 former managing director on seven charges, including four felonies and three misdemeanors. The felonies reportedly include attempt to commit rape and criminal sexual acts and sexual abuse. Strauss-Kahn, who is maintaining his innocence, is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday, when the indictment will be unsealed.

Granting Strauss-Kahn bail might help to calm French anger since many French citizens were appalled to see an individual who was so highly regarded in politics being held at Rikers Island, New York鈥檚 jail.

The bail agreement will reunite Strauss-Kahn with his wife, Ann Sinclair, an American-born journalist, and his daughter, who is a graduate student in New York.

On Thursday, prosecutors continued to maintain he was a flight risk and opposed the bail package. A key factor is that France will not extradite its own citizens.

鈥淥ur position is there is no bail package at this time that would ensure his return,鈥� said Assistant District Attorney John McConnell. 鈥淭his court must be satisfied that he will come back.... His own conduct in this case has shown a propensity for impulsive criminal conduct.鈥�

In his letter of resignation to the IMF on Wednesday, Strauss-Kahn said he wanted to devote all his strength, time and energy to proving his innocence.

鈥淚 want to say that I deny with the greatest possible firmness all of the allegations that have been made against me,鈥� he wrote.

At the hearing, prosecutors maintained their case was growing stronger and that the forensic evidence would help them prove their case.

Outside lawyers say it鈥檚 normal for individuals accused of sexual assault to have some kind of bail set.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a serious crime obviously, but in the overwhelming majority of cases a judge will set some kind of bail,鈥� says Alan Kaufman, a former federal prosecutor, now a partner at the New York law firm Kelley Drye & Warren. 鈥淗e is entitled to some bail but the purpose is to assure he appears in court when he is required to.鈥�

For example, after Kobe Bryant was accused of sexual assault in July of 2003, he was released on $25,000 bail. Those charges were ultimately dropped in 2004.

It will still be some time until Strauss-Kahn鈥檚 case actually goes to trial.

鈥淯nless there is a plea nothing happens within six months and a year,鈥� says James Cohen, associate professor of law at Fordham University in New York. 鈥淭he prosecution will be finishing up all the forensics 鈥� only on 鈥楥SI鈥� do they give you a phone call after it鈥檚 finished 鈥� and will be re-interviewing witnesses.鈥�

The defense will spend a lot of effort researching the background of the housekeeper who is alleging the assault, says Mr. Cohen.

鈥淭hey will make it look like she鈥檚 lying, they will put her through a lot,鈥� he says.

The housekeeper has apparently already hired her own lawyer who may file a civil lawsuit against Strauss-Kahn.

鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 be surprised if at some point one of her representatives reached out to see what kind of numbers are on the table,鈥� says Cohen. If the sum were large enough, he says, then the housekeeper might suddenly decide that it was all some misunderstanding. 鈥淚t sounds sinister, but money can do that,鈥� he says.

After the Bryant case was dropped, he settled a civil suit that was filed by the complainant.

If the hotel housekeeper does sue Strauss-Kahn, the civil lawsuit can be used in the criminal defense to potentially impugn the alleged victim鈥檚 motive. However, Cohen says, if Strauss-Kahn did commit the crime, 鈥渟he deserves a sizeable sum of money.鈥�